The present invention relates to a composition for use as a medicament, functional food or nutrative product which comprises a high lipid content, a method of preparing the composition; use of the composition in the manufacture of a medicament, functional food or nutritional product; and a method of treatment or prevention of sepsis or inflammatory shock which comprises administering an effective amount of the composition.
Within the context of this specification the word “comprises” is taken to mean “includes, among other things”. It is not intended to be construed as “consists of only”.
The abbreviation EPA represents eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5,n-3); DPA represents docosapentaenoic acid (22:5,n-3); DHA represents docosahexaenoic acid (22:6,n-3); MCT represents medium chain triglycerides and LC-PUFA represents long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid.
It is generally recommended that a diet contains a lipid content which provides about 30% total energy of the diet for a normal healthy individual.
Conventional diets are generally high in saturated fat and have a high ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids. A problem with consuming this type of diet is that saturated fat is implicated in cardiovascular disease and cancer. In addition, a high ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids is implicated in inflammatory disorders. Furthermore, it is well known that patients having chronic intestinal inflammation are at risk of developing certain types of cancer.
The quantity and quality of lipids for critically ill patients at risk of developing infectious and septic complications is a matter of debate. It has now been found that the quantity of lipids is important for clinical outcome, in particular for limiting body weight and muscle mass losses as well as for normalising the levels of proteins produced in the acute phase of septic shock. This provides support for maintaining a high lipid content in enteral products destined for critically ill patients.